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DATE: Tuesday, November 16, 2004
BYLINE: Ralph Leef
COLUMN: ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
NO DULL MOMENTS FOR ON-THE-GO SENIOR
Think you have a busy schedule? Check out Casa Grande senior Ashton LeSieur's rugged routine.
LeSieur, who captured her third consecutive Sonoma County League cross country title last week,
is taking AP physics and calculus, 1960s literature, economics and two electives -- sculpture and
wildlife.
She also practices three days a week for her Santa Rosa United Storm soccer team and is prepping
for the Casa Grande basketball season. Her cross country season isn't likely to be over until the
state meet in Fresno on Nov.27.
``We're playing a soccer tournament in San Diego over Thanksgiving weekend, so if I make state
(cross country), we'll drive to Fresno from San Diego,'' said LeSieur.
A two-time state track and field qualifier, LeSieur is hoping to make it back to Fresno's
Woodward Park for a second state cross country meet.
``I was very upset not making state last year,'' said LeSieur. ``The top 12 advance (from North
Coast Section) and I was 14th. It was at Ukiah and I wasn't prepared for the freezing weather and
the hills.''
This year's NCS finals will be at Hayward.
LeSieur finished fifth at the NCS cross country meet her sophomore season. She didn't compete in
the sport as a freshman, when she played volleyball.
Winning the East Side Relays in Petaluma as a fifth-grader got LeSieur interested in running,
although she didn't even know about cross country until she got to high school and some friends on
the track team invited her to join.
LeSieur has been in contact with college coaches -- from DivisionI Duke to DivisionIII
Washington-St. Louis -- but isn't ready to commit just yet.
``Most coaches want me for running, but I may want the option to play multiple sports,'' she said.
LeSieur's sister, Amber, is a cross country runner for Casa Grande and her brother, Brandon,
a freshman, won the Sonoma County League JV cross country championship last week.
INFOBOX: ASHTON LESIEUR
School: Casa Grande
Year: Senior
Sport: Cross country